By Thane Grauel

WESTPORT — A $1.49 million plan to overhaul the largest parking lot downtown has been approved by the Representative Town Meeting.

The body voted unanimously Tuesday night to fund the improvements to the lot off Elm Street. It’s the final approval for the spending.

“The project is a long time coming,” Public Works Director Peter Ratkiewich told the members.

Earlier, the spending was endorsed by a joint meeting of the RTM’s Finance and Public Works committees.

The plan will add about a foot and half in elevation to the lower portion of the lot, which has long been prone to flooding.

“We will be making improvements to the drainage system to make it drain better than it does today,” Ratkiewich said.

During a major storm there might still be six inches of water in the lowest part of the lot, he said, but nothing that will stop motorists from driving out.

The redesign will lose a few parking spaces, but will have wider aisles to conform to zoning regulations.

It will include electric car charging stations and improved LED lighting.

The lot is named for Herbert Baldwin, an apple grower, longtime state representative and state senator who served 10 years as first selectman. He died in July, 1990, at the age of 96.

The Baldwin Lot is the largest municipal lot downtown, followed by the Parker-Harding Plaza.

Ratkiewich said he hopes to put the project out to bid around November. Work won’t start before early in the new year because the downtown holiday season has to be avoided.

He said he’d like to see the project completed before festival season arrives in June 2022.

“We can do demolishing in freezing temperatures,” he said. “We can’t lay asphalt in freezing temperatures.”